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Belgian king refuses PM Bart De Wever’s resignation
POLITICO.eu • • world
Key Points:
- King Philippe has met with the five party leaders of Belgium’s coalition government and found a potential path to agreement under Prime Minister De Wever's leadership.
- The five parties committed to making concessions to quickly conclude budget negotiations aimed at addressing a €10 billion budget gap by 2029.
- Disagreements remain, with the Flemish Socialist party advocating for higher taxes on top earners, while the French-speaking Reformist Movement opposes this and VAT reforms.
- De Wever acknowledged the government will need to rely on an emergency budget system, allowing monthly spending at one-twelfth of the previous year’s budget, and announced his resignation.
- The prime minister is scheduled to meet King Philippe again on November 16 to update on the progress of budget talks.
